Mercy Killing
by Nomannic
Summary: My name is Kairi Mimichi. I've been dating Gaara Subaku off and on for two years now. This is our ninth off and on. Needless to say, the Elders' don't know about "us" yet. Sequel to Insomniatic Insanity. Gaara/OC Kankuro/OC Temari/OC
1. Koi

**Mercy Killing**

**Koi**

"Why won't you call me 'Kairi-koi'?" I asked Gaara, sitting on his desk, on his paperwork, successfully preventing him from doing anything.

"Because we are not married," he replied simply. "Now get off my desk."

"No." I replied to his order. "So because we're not married, we're not together?"

"Not in sense." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"So that sneaking around behind your body guards in the pantry was…?"

"Sneaking around. Get off my desk."

"No." I leaned closer into him, feeling my anger slowly grow. "So it was _nothing_ else?"

"What else could it be?" He replied. "Can you get off my desk now?" I shook my head.

"So, according to you, I'm nothing more than a fling?" His eyes widened when he realized his mistake.

"When did I say that?!" He barke. I narrowed my eyes.

"You _just_ said all it was was sneaking around. It wasn't trying to be together, it wasn't because you actually feel something for me?!" He glared.

"No. I never said that. You're twisting my words."

"So you do feel something for me? You do care?" I challenged. He gave a heavy sigh, putting his head in his hands.

"You're not going to get off my desk anytime soon are you…?" He mumbled out. I threw up my arms in exasperation.

"Now you're avoiding it!"

"Kairi, get off my fucking desk, and out of my office," he growled. I crossed my arms and glared at him.

"No."

"Why not…?"

"Not until you tell me why you won't call me koi!" I answered angrily.

"That's what this is all about?"

"YES!" I snapped. "Stop acting like it isn't a big deal! You won't admit any feelings for me, though I do it on a regular basis!"

"How is that a big deal…?"

"IT FEELS LIKE A FUCKING ONE-SIDE!!" I screamed at him, fighting off tears. His eyes flew wide.

"Kairi, I do… I just… I'm the kazekage… I'm four years older than you… you're not even a legal citizen and…"

"So I'm in a fling with the kazekage because of my heritage and age?!" He winced.

"Don't phrase it like that. It's different."

"How?!" Gaara got on his feet, getting in my face, snarling.

"I have fucking responsibilities expectations, now get out of my fucking office before I have you escorted out." I narrowed my eyes at him, and got off his desk.

"Fine. Don't expect to be sneaking around with me anytime soon, though." He narrowed his eyes, pointing at the door.

"Out."

"Buh-bye, Gaara-_koi_," I teased, turning to head out the door. Before I had even set down my foot, sand had slammed me into the wall, knocking the air from me.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT!!" Just then, Kankuro and Temari and four ANBU rushed into the room. Kankuro started shouting at Gaara as the sand fell. Temari caught me, resting me back on my feet. I shook out my arms and legs, before shoving past the ANBU and out into the hall.

As I neared the entrance hall of the mansion, Kankuro finally caught up to me.

"Kairi!" I didn't stop. "KAIRI!" I kept walking. "KAIRI…!!" He shouted, grabbing my shoulder, spinning me around. I turned around, yanking from his grip, and stood facing him, fighting off tears.

"Kairi, who started it this time." I crossed my arms and gave Kankuro a look. He rolled his eyes. "C'mon. You two have been fighting for almost two years now! Lay off it, all ready. I can't count how many injuries you've acquired from the fighting, not to mention the housing costs." I sighed, leaning against the wall.

"I know… I know… I just… ugh… He's so _annoying._ Arragont, too."

"I can't deny it, but you have your own faults too."

"Thank you. So flattering, Kankuro." He rolled his eyes.

"This is your guys' ninth attempt at a 'relationship', Kairi."

"All right. I'll try to stop fighting. Happy?" He nodded. "Now did you want anything else?"

"Yeah. Care to go clothes shopping with me? My treat."

"Sure. I have nothing better to do… Can we stop and see Jean-Claude." Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"Sometimes I think you two have a very unnatural relationship."

"He is a vampire."

"Touche, touché my friend."

"Ew."

"Why ew?"

"Touche is French for _touch_." Kankuro winced, and followed me out of the mansion and into the front sector of the courtyard.

**X.x.X.x.X**

**A/N: So the first chapter of Mercy Killing is up and out with a hot, angry start… I know. This story will have a lot of fights in it, and personally, I'm curious to who's sides people take in their fights. I can't really decide. **

**So what will happen next? How will the shopping trip go? Only time can tell…**

**I can tell you all now, Mercy Killing is going to be very fast-paced in the beginning, and probably pretty angry and angsty for a while, so sit tight, and I suggest seat-belts. And chains. And ducktape. Lots of ducktape. Maybe some gorilla tape too.**

**Also, for those of you who don't know, Koi is a suffix you usually give to the name of your lover/boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife. And yes, I do think there is differences between those things.**

**Review please, and I hope you liked it!**


	2. Trust vs Mistrust

**Mercy Killing**

**Trust vs. Mistrust**

It took about two hours before I found a shop I actually wanted to go into. It was an imports store and was filled with hundreds of different cultures and styles of clothes. The store was designed in stalls, so that travellers, traders, anyone who wanted to sell something here, payed a small fee, and got a space to sell their thing.

Kankuro picked up a tanktop with arabian embroidery on the sides, and grinned. "This is pretty, what do you think?" He asked. I turned around, shutting my mouth. I had been gaping in awestruck silence at the gigantuous-sized store. No matter how many times I came here, I just couldn't get over the fact of how _huge _and _beautiful_ it was. I swaggered up to him, and rolled my eyes.

"You just want to see me in a tank top," I teased. Sure enough, his face turned red, and he glared.

"Do not!"

"It may not be the only reason, but you know you want too~" I continued, spinning lightly, flashing a grin.

"I DO NOT!" He shouted. I rolled my eyes.

"Sure you don't~" I purred, walking up to him.

"I swear, I don't!" He was starting to look panicked. I faked a hurt expression.

"Are you saying I'm unnatractive?" I asked in a soft, childish voice. His expression was priceless. He stumbled for words for a second, then just settled for glaring. Ah, the simple pleasures of dating the Kazekage.

"You are a cruel, cruel woman." I grinned.

"I know." He rolled his eyes. I took the tanktop from him, and looked for the pricetag, when I read it, I whistled loudly, set it back on the rack, and backed away slowly.

Kankuro quirked a brow. "I thought you liked it?"

I nodded. "I did. But I don't like tanktops. And that specific tanktop is thirty dollars." Kankuro raised his other brow.

"I get not liking tanktops, but that isn't much." I looked at Kankuro like he was crazy. Thirty dollars not much?! MAYBE HE IS CRAZY! I decided to tell him so.

"You're crazy." Kankuro sighed.

"No, I'm just filthy rich because I'm the Kazekage's brother." Whoops. I'd forgotten that.

"But that doesn't mean you should just blow your money. What if he disowns you?" I asked. Kankuro laughed.

"Now why would he do that?" I stood for a second, then shrugged, and starting walking down the isle towards the rack of fur scarves.

"Maybe I told him to." I snickered to myself lightly as I heard Kankuro trip behind me.

"You didn't, did you?!" He shouted after me, still on the ground. I just laughed.

"What do you think?"

For the next two hours, I piled a shopping cart high with stuff I liked as me and Kankuro teased and bantered. I still hadn't really explained to him what had happened two years ago, but it didn't really matter any more. Kankuro also tripped over his own two feet four times, tripped seven other times, knocked over two racks, broke a shelf, and all in all, was very clumsy. Strange.

"Kankuro, why are you so clumsy today?" I asked, not at all joking. He took it as a tease though, and just scoffed. I rolled my eyes. "I'm not insulting you, I'm serious. It's starting to scare me a little."

He just looked the other way. Bad sign. He's hiding something from me. You'd really think, being a ninja and all, he'd be better at hiding things. Guess not.

"Kankuro, you're a ninja for Kami's sake."

He turned and glared. Whatever he's hiding must be pretty big.

"Can't a guy just be fucking clumsy?" It was my turn to narrow my eyes. Now he was cursing at me!

"No, not when he's a ninja!" He grumbled something under his breath, crossed his arms, and turned his back. Great. Now he's throwing a tantrum. I sighed, rubbed my temples, and counted to ten. Yelling at him wouldn't help.

"Kankuro, I'm just worried about you," I murmured.

He rolled his eyes. "Sure you are." That hurt. I looked up at him. Did he really think that? That I didn't worry over him day and night, every time he went out on a mission? Hell, every time he left the mansion or argued with Gaara?! God, and they say I'm an idiot!

"Kankuro, you truly are an idiot," I murmured after a while.

"Why the hell this time?!" He snapped. I flinched. Was my teasing... really hurting him? Shit.

"Kankuro... I'm sorry... I don't mean it when I tease... I just... Don't know how else to say I care for you..." Kankuro turned around, eyes wide.

"Mean it?" He mumbled. I nodded. He sighed, and pulled me into a tight hug. He rested his face in my hair, and sighed. "I hurt myself in the undead battle pretty badly on the hip." My eyes widened, and I moved to hold him tighter, but he flinched. I pulled back.

"I'm sorry..." Then I looked up at him in confusion. "If you're still in recovery, why are they still sending you out on missions?" Kankuro looked confused.

"What missions?" My eyes widened.

"Gaara... he said..." Kankuro sighed.

"Shit. He didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?" I asked slowly.

"Kairi, I'm the Kazekage's brother, I have a high social status that I have to mantain..." I just gave him a confused expression. I didn't get it. This wasn't making sense. So what if he had a social status?

"I don't get it..."

"I have to go to parties, meetings, conferences... dates..." My head shot up then, eyes wide.

"Dates?" He turned his back to me again, and nodded.

"Yeah, dates. I'm sorry, I don't mean any of them, but..." For some reason, I felt rage and... relief?

I thought I loved Gaara? Do I still have feelings for Kankuro?

I gripped my head.

"Whatever. I've got a headache. I'm going home."

I abandoned the overflowing shopping cart and Kankuro, and ran home.

**X.x.X.x.X**

I reclined on the kitchen counter top, my jug of chocolate milk snug under my arm. I stared at the ceiling, searching for shapes in the crimson-painted plaster. I was drowning my sorrows in chocolate, and skipping training for the day. I wasn't even really sure why I was sad. Because Gaara lied to me? Because Kankuro was hurt? Because Kankuro was seeing other woman? Why did any of that matter? Why did I care about Kankuro at all, atleast more than a brother? Why did it surprise me that Gaara lied to me? Why did he lie? I groaned. My headached was back.

Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation on my arm. I looked down at it, and my eyes zeroed in on a small creature.

I let out a blood-curdling scream.

Within seconds, a flustered, nearly terrified Gaara had slid into the door, in his boxers. I was as still as a statue, not moving, staring wide-eyed at my arm, tears spilling down my cheeks. I glanced towards him, trying not to move, and whimpered.

"What is it? What's wrong?" His sand was swirling protectively around us as he stepped closer. I gave a pointed look to the eight-legged terror on my arm. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"A spider? A fucking spider made you scream like that?" I couldn't glare, more tears just welled in my eyes. I hiccupped, shaking my body, and the spider crawled higher up my arm. I flinched, whimpering.

"Get it off…" I murmured to him, begging him with my eyes.

He sighed, and grabbed a papertowel. He reached forward, as if to kill it, and my eyes widened and I stopped him with my other arm.

"Don't kill it!" I cried. He gave me a confused look.

"But it…" He couldn't finish the sentence, but I wondered.

"It's alive, and innocent, just… oh god its moving… get it off, get it off, get it OFF!" I screamed, closing my eyes and biting my lip. Gaara, taking his chance, squashed it in the papertowel and threw it away.

I gave him a horrified look.

"You killed it!" I exclaimed. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"In case you have forgotten, I kill on a regular basis, innocent, insect, or criminal." My eyes widened as I realized my mistake. He turned around to walk away, stiff, hurt.

Shit. I walked up to him, and wrapped my arms around his tense waist.

"Thank you," I whispered in his ear. I would have sworn he shivered. He turned around, forcing me to release his arm, and took my chin in his hand so that he could see my eyes. He smiled that rare, childish grin that I treasured more than my own life.

"Not at all." He leaned down, velvet lips pressing into mine. I grinned into the kiss, standing on tiptoes, attempting to wrap my arms around his neck. I got my hands on his shoulders, and left it like that, pressing my tongue against his lower lip.

He pulled back immediately.

I sighed. I seemed to be making a lot of mistakes. I had forgotten he refused to French kiss me.

"Why not?" I asked. He sighed.

"I have my reasons," he replied, voice that scratchy cold it got when he was hiding something. I sighed, rubbing my temple. Relationships were difficult when one partner was naturally uncommunicative, and the other talked to much.

"How about this then: why don't you tell me anything?" I grumbled out, moving to push by him, leaving my chocolate milk on the countertop. He reached out, grabbing my arm and successfully stopping me from leaving. I shook free, and turned to face him. He seemed to battling inside himself, his eyes troubled. I sighed, laying a hand on his chest, and kissing beside it, the only place I could reach without him bending down.

"It's allright. You can talk to me when you're ready."

"But… you're…" He struggled for words.

"I know, I can't promise I won't be frustrated, and I can garuntee you that this relationship will go nowhere without you telling me anything, but allright. You need your time. Besides, you're four years older than me, and you're the kazekage." He gave me a confused look.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked slowly. I sighed, looking away, and rubbing my arms.

"Nothing," I mumbled. He quirked a brow, cupping the side of my face, slightly roughly, so that I had to look at him.

"There is never a nothing with you," he stated. I stared at him, studying him, judging what his reaction would be. He never reacted well to these things.

"You're way out of my league," I said simply. He narrowed his eyes, and his hand tensed as if he wanted to slap me.

"And you're an idiot," he growled out. He let his hand drop and turned around, crossing his arms.

"Yeah. So?" He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Will you drop it with the self-putdowns? Do you NOT see yourself?" It was my turn to cross my arms and sigh.

"I see myself very clearly, and I am less than ordinary," I said authoritively. Gaara turned around, and glared.

"No. You. Are. Not." He growled out. I glared.

"Then what the hell am I?!" I growled out, venting my frustration. He had the nerve to pretend he cares after lying to me. He sighed, rubbing his temple, before storming out of the room.

"Oi! Get back here!" But of course, the Shukaku's Jinchuuriki doesn't take orders from anyone.

Well that's just peachy. I groaned, rolling my eyes. "Fine, walk away," I mumbled. "Everybody hates me today." I sighed, feeling depressed, and found my chocolate milk. I took a large swig, and walked up to the roof.

Me and mister racoon need to have a little chat.


	3. Communication

**Mercy Killing**

**Communication**

Gaara sat on the roof, his legs hanging over the edge as he stared out at the city, lit up by the vibrant colors of twilight. He sighed, looking away from the beauty, feeling ashamed, guilty, disgusted. He doesn't deserve anything that beautiful. Not being the Kazekage, not his siblings, and definitely not Kairi.

Kairi stood behind him on the roof. He knew she was there, she had stood there, quietly, for atleast a half hour now. Her long black hair was waving in the warm spring wind, her skin glowing in the light, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

"What do you want?" He asked. Kairi sighed, slipping in to sit beside him.

"We need to talk." Gaara's chest clench. He knew those words. They never meant anything good. "And you need to actually listen to me for all of five minutes. Now shut up, and let me talk."

Her voice was sad, tired.

"I love you, Gaara, I really do. I don't deserve you. You're beautiful, powerful, you're perfect in everything you do. But you're so arrogant, yet so ignorant. Everything seems to always have to go your way… you don't seem to notice how I'm feeling. The only thing that ever seems to show you really care is when you kiss me. I get it, we have to keep this secret, but… it's hard. It hurts. I'm only fourteen, Gaara. Technically, this is illegal. And it weighs on me. But worst of all, you don't seem to see yourself."

"Neither do you," he mumbled, his voice that rough, sad one it always is. Kairi looked up at him, listening intently, determined to not interrupt. "You're so beautiful, this world is so beautiful… I don't deserve any of it. Kairi, you're so… naïve. You're still just a child. I feel so old compared to you…" This was hard for him. He had never spoken like this before. "You don't see yourself clearly. And you don't notice everything, you don't pay attention. Kairi, I'm a monster. I've killed children. I've raped men and woman. And I enjoy it." His voice had taken a disgusted tint. He couldn't bare her gaze, and turned his face away from hers.

She caught his face in her hands. Ignoring the sand that wrapped around her hands and wrists, and turned his face to hers. The sand fell away, as she stared into his eyes, her own sad.

"I know I don't see myself. I can't help it. But you don't either. It's not you who does those things. I fell in love with you, not the demon inside of you. Not the monster. But I know it's there, I accept it. It's not you who enjoys it."

"What makes you so sure?" He growled out, rage filling him. What made her think she understood him so well?!

She leaned in, giving him a chaste kiss, wrapping her arms around him, she held him, even though it was awkward with the size difference.

"I'm not, but I have faith in you. The spider proved it. You or your demon can't bare to see me hurt."

I didn't get a reply, and I wasn't a hundred percent sure of what I had said, but I was content. Finally, there had been some communication.


	4. Jealousy

A month later, I was still depressed. I hadn't been to visit my squad, and every time they came around to see me, I had Gaara chase them away. Gaara and I were going fairly smoothly now, and I didn't want to disturb that with confronting him about lying to me about Kankuro, and Kankuro wasn't talking to me anymore. And to top it off, Temari was off on a mission in Kirigakure with helping with the genin exams this year.

So, to deal with my depression, I locked myself in my room with a fridge stocked full of chocolate milk.

I was laying on my bed, feeling particularly miserable right now, because my stomach was cramping. I groaned, rolling onto my side, when, just as normal, Gaara poofed into my room. He had been doing it for the past three days, trying to lure me out of my room.

"Kairi?" he asked, immediately noticing my discomfort. He looked down at me, and his eyes widened. "Shit, how are you bleeding? Kairi? Talk to me-" I sat up, and looked at him.

"What? I'm bleeding?" I looked down where he pointed and cursed. My entire waist, stomach and inside of legs were covered in blood. I looked up at him with panicked eyes. "I… I didn't do anything… my stomach…" Just then, my stomach chose to contract. I gave a groan, and rolled over into a fetal position. Gaara wordlessly left the room, and in two excruciating minutes of pain, the mansions medic was in the room with him.

He came up to me, took one good look of the situation, and told Gaara to get out.

"What? Why?" the ANBU wasn't intimidated.

"Because the young lady would appreciate some privacy while I explain to her what's going on." Gaara glared, but left the room, and went to wait in his office. The medic turned to me, and sighed.

"You poor, poor girl. Didn't anyone explain anything to you?" I just furrowed my brow.

"Why the fuck are you talking like that? I'm FUCKING BLEEDING!" He just laughed, which made me angrier, but if I was injured somehow, I knew better than to move anything other than my mouth.

"It's perfectly normal for your age. You're going through your menstrual period."

"My what?"

Then, for the next hour, the doctor explained to me what was going on, gave me some medication to help with the cramps, and called a female ANBU to help me clean up.

By the time everything was over and done with, I felt like crying for no apparent reason other than sheer embaressment.


	5. Marriage

**Mercy Killing  
**_Chapter Five: Marriage_

All in all, Kairi had a total of four broken ribs, a punctured lung, three cracked ribs, a nasty bruise on her cheekbone, and a twisted ankle. The first hit had landed on her head, and she was lucky her skull hadn't cracked as easily as her ribs had.

But she was fine, the medic-nin taking care of the lung and broken bones quickly and efficiently. She was going to have to 'take it easy' for a day or two while the bruise cleared up and the wounds fully healed, but otherwise she was fighting fit once again.

And pissed as hell.

"He hit me!" She raged, glaring at the doorway. She was back in her room, sitting on her bed, back propped up against the wall, a jug of chocolate milk between her knees. "He fucking _hit_ me. Twice!" She yelled again, throwing her pillow at the wall opposite. She winced slightly, the movement straining her healing bones.

Kankurou regarded her coolly, sitting beside her on the bed. He took a swig of the chocolate milk, taking it out of her grasp, and then handed it back to her before he spoke up. "Why do you put up with it?" He asked as she took a hearty drink of the chocolatey liquid. "Why don't you just leave him once and for all."

Kairi looked at him in surprise, as if the thought had never occurred to her. "Kankurou-" she started, voice soft with confusion.

Kankurou cut her off, raising his voice slightly. "He hits you, for Gods sake! He threatens to kill you. You can never be public, and you'll never, ever be allowed to be more than a mistress too him, Kairi. Why do you put up with it?" He repeated his original question, turning to face her. He was sitting close, their sides touching. Kairi sighed, looking down morosely at the jug of milk.

"I- I don't know," she mumbled. When she thought about it, really thought about it, she knew this relationship was bad. It was violent, it was angry. It was a roller coaster of emotions as they both struggled for dominance, their needs and desires conflicting at every point where they intersected, shooting out sparks. And Kankurou had a point – soon, the council would require Gaara take a wife, to give him an heir. A proper wife.

Kairi's shoulders hunched, and she bit her lip. She was far from a proper wife. She was a bastard child from a small, poor, unknown family with absolutely no heritage to speak of. She was childish, obnoxious, loud and eccentric. And she was only a Chunin – not even good by _shinobi_ standards.

And she was sick of hiding their relationship. She was sick of not being able to kiss him, or hold his hand, or go on a _walk_ with him in public. The only time she really got actual contact with him, when they weren't sneaking around in the shadows, was when they were training. And since the recent war, Kankurou had had to take up her training instead of Gaara, who was swamped with paperwork and diplomatic negotiations. She rarely ever got to see him, unless she managed some time to hang out with him while he worked, which lets face it, isn't exactly what you'd call "quality time together".

"Do you love him?" Kankurou asked, suddenly, voice invading the silence that had fallen as she thought.

Kairi blinked. She'd never thought about it before, not really. Did she? And once again she found herself confused, conflicted, and slightly angry at herself. How could she not know the answer to this question? He loved her. She knew he did. She loved him back... right? Right?

Kairi groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I don't know," she grumbled, resisting the urge to claw her eyes out from sheer stress. Kankurou slid his arm around her, pulling her into a hug.

"Do you love me?" He asked, voice soft and serious. Kairi opened her mouth to answer with an 'of course I do, you idiot', but then she realized what he meant. He didn't mean in a platonic sort of way. He meant love-love.

Kairi swallowed hard, pulling out of the embrace. "I'm gonna go start dinner," she muttered, quickly leaving, abandoning her chocolate milk on the bed.

Kankurou stared at the door long after she left, wondering how he could work this to his advantage.

X.x.X.x.X

Once Kairi made it to the kitchen, quickly missing her chocolate milk, she realized that it was way too early to start dinner. Sighing, she figured she'd go see Gaara. She missed him, a guilty knot forming in her stomach because of her earlier conversation with Kankurou, and she needed to sort her emotions out. Figure things out.

Did she love him? Did he love her? Where was this relationship _going_? Or was it just going to be hidden forever?

Kairi bit her lip, wondering what that would mean. If their relationship was going to be a secret forever, could she handle that? She didn't know. And it hurt her to realize that maybe she didn't love him. Maybe they really were going to break up – and this time, forever.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, which was quickly becoming a nervous habit for her when there was no chocolate nearby to assuage her nerves, she made her way to Gaara's bedroom. After that mornings fiasco, he was probably sulking in his room, doing the paperwork in there instead of his office.

And sure enough, when she peaked into the room, there he was, laying on his stomach flicking his pencil as he read over some – you guessed it – paperwork. Kairi smiled, sitting beside him on the bed. "You work too much," she mumbled, reaching to rub his shoulders. But his sand moved up, blocking her path, and she frowned, dropping them back into her lap.

Gaara didn't look at her, didn't respond in any way. "I'm sorry," Kairi finally mumbled. "I shouldn't have pissed you off like that." Suddenly, the age difference between them was painfully clear to Kairi. He was so mature, so disciplined. But she still threw childish temper tantrums. He was 19, she was 15.

Then Gaara looked at her, and he sighed. "Why are you apologizing?" He asked after a moment of taking in her appearance. Her face was bruised, and beneath the thin white T-shirt she wore, he could see all of the bandages and the darker bruises across her chest and stomach. His eyes saddened, and he looked away. "It was my fault. I'm sorry."

Kairi smiled. "It's okay."

And they lapsed back into silence, content that the incident had been resolved. But those other questions nagged at Kairi, making her nervous, making her crave her precious chocolate milk.

"Do you love me?" Kairi asked, suddenly breaking the silence. Gaara looked up at her, slightly startled.

"Why do you ask?" Gaara asked, looking suspicious despite the fact his face was its normal, blank expression.

Kairi sighed. "Please just answer me."

Gaara looked at her a long time, body still, and his eyes seemed considering. After what felt like forever, he gave her one of his rare, gorgeous smiles that made her melt into her shoes, and said, "Yes, yes I do."

Kairi smiled, flattered, her face blushing bright red. She looked away, suddenly feeling bashful, and attempting to hide her own uncertainty. But Gaara didn't ask her if she loved him back. He seemed content, almost, with the fact that he loved her, and that if she loved him she would say it in her own time. That he couldn't force her to love anything.

Kairi laid down next to him, snuggling up beside him in the bed, and made a small, contented noise similar to a purr. Gaara glanced at her, then continued working on his paperwork.

After another long stretch of silence, Kairi posed her next question. "Where are we?"

"My bedroom," Gaara replied, totally focused on his work.

"No, I mean... where is our relationship?" Gaara looked up from his work then, giving her a concerned glance.

"Kairi? Is there something wrong?" he asked, sitting up, looking down at her with worry. "Did something happen?"

Kairi sat up, looking alarmed. "No! No, oh no. It's just something that Kankurou said. It made me think."

"About what?" Gaara asked, still not completely convinced that she was fine.

Kairi blushed, looking down at the dark gold comforter she was kneeling on. "About our relationship," she mumbled. Then she looked up at him, looking worried and upset, and it bothered Gaara. He would need to have a talk with Kankurou about whatever he had told her. "Are we going to keep it a secret forever?"

It was Gaara's turn to look away now. He had purposefully been avoiding this exact line of questioning since they got together the first time. Because he still hadn't found a way around it. "Kairi, I'm the Kazekage."

"I know." She said, giving him a 'no duh' sort of look. "Why does that matter?"

Gaara sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure how to put this – he didn't want her getting mad at him, but he couldn't lie to her either. Once again, he was reminded of just how very young she was, and wondered, not for the first time, if this had been a good idea or not. "It means I have responsibilities," he said, looking her in the eye. "It means I have to marry a proper woman, who will give me an heir."

Kairi looked away. "So what does that mean for us?"

"The marriage is a contract, Kairi. It doesn't mean anything. It wouldn't mean I'd love you any less."

The look Kairi shot him was angry and hurt. "But it means you'd get kiss her, hold her hand, talk to her in public. While the whole time, I'm the dirty mistress, right? It does mean something, Gaara."

Gaara winced. "It wouldn't be like that."

"Are you actually suggesting that you marry some haughty princess so she can have your kids, while you and me fuck on the side?"

Gaara glared at her now, annoyed. "Do you really want kids, Kairi? You couldn't be a kunoichi. Your dream, down the toilet right there. And you'd have to be a noblewoman. You'd have to wear formal clothing, attend meetings and functions, behave properly."

Kairi looked even more pissed off. "I don't' care about that. _I_ want to marry you."

Gaara frowned, getting to his feet. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you never will." And with that he walked out of the room, leaving an upset, confused Kairi behind. She sniffled, wiping the tears away, and glared after him. He was not getting out of this one so easily.

A/N: Whoot! Plot! Heck yes!


End file.
